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Biden would save USD 2.6 billion by halting border wall construction
President-elect Joe Biden would save about USD 2.6 billion of the US government if he halts the construction of the border wall, as per the US Army corps of Engineers.
Washington: President-elect Joe Biden would save about USD 2.6 billion of the US government if he halts the construction of the border wall, as per the US Army corps of Engineers.
According to The Washington Post (The Post), Biden told reporters during the summer that he would not build "another foot" of the border barriers which the incumbent US President Donald Trump promised. The wall construction was one of the most expensive federal infrastructure projects in the country's history.
Corps spokeswoman Raini Brunson said that the US Army Corps commanders met with members of the Biden transition team last week to discuss the border wall project but however declined to comment on the (Army Corps) estimates reviewed by The Post.
"We cannot speculate on what the final cost estimates for undelivered work would be nor speculate about what actions a White House Administration may or may not take," Brunson said in a statement.
It was further reported that the Trump administration obtained about USD 15 billion for the project, enough to complete 738 miles (1187.7 km approx) of the "new fencing" as per US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and only one-third of USD 15 billion was provided by the US Congress through the standards appropriations process; Trump took the rest from the Department of Defense " counternarcotics programs and military construction accounts."
The Washington Post reported further that about USD 3.3 billion in unused funds will remain in the project's account when Biden takes office in January.
Even though the Biden-Harris administration would have the ability to terminate the contract with the construction firms building the wall, the companies would be able to build the US Government for "demobilisation" fees to cover the withdrawal of crews, equipment which is projected to add up to USD 700 million.
The Post reported that construction crews have been working "round-the-clock in multiple locations' to build the barriers as fast as possible before Biden takes office, anticipating that the project's days are numbered.
In 2016, Trump's campaign was based on building a wall saying that he would do so to stop illegal crossing to protect Americans from criminals. He said that he would make Mexico pay for the wall. But illegal immigration increased in Trump's four years.
Even though, more than 400 miles of new fencing construction completed, authorities say that made more than 70,000 detentions in October and November -- "the highest totals for those two months in more than a decade", The Post reported further. (ANI)